Tie Shan Kao (鐵山靠)

Description

Tie Shan Kao (lit. "Iron Mountain Lean") is an extremely short range bajiquan technique involving crashing into an opponent and striking with the side and/or back of the body. It is, perhaps more commonly known by the Japanese pronounciation "tetsuzanko" due to the popularity and influence of the Virtua Fighter fighting game franchise and the manga "Kenji" on popular culture.

It has a large and somewhat unconventional striking surface, often including the area from the elbow down the back of the arm as well, causing it to be moderately difficult for beginners to initially apply effectively . The technique is one of the closest range techniques, requiring the user to be closer than elbow range in order to execute it. Tie Shan Kao requires a great deal of commitment as it is necessary to step "through" or to the side of the opponent and explosively sink into a ma bu position in order to knock back and over.

Training

Tie Shan Kao can be trained solo or with one (or more partners) and it (or variations of it) are a part of many bajiquan systems' jibengong and body conditioning routines. This is not always the case as some systems advise against the jarring, and potentially harmful, nature of crashing into solid objects/other people repeatedly.

Solo

Tie Shan Kao is often trained solo by striking the body against a solid, mostly immovable object, most commonly it will be a tree or pillar. Trees are often chosen as they can have a slight angle instead of being completely vertical, making a better striking target.

With partners

Another common training method is to use a partner. There are also several permutations of this method including both partners striking each other at the same time, one partner serving as the "post" while the other executes Tie Shan Kao, or one person serving as the "post" for multiple partners to strike sequentially.

Trivia

Author depicts Tieshankao famed use in breaking down doors and gates.

Tie Shan Kao can commonly be found in video games and manga, having been popularised by the character Akira Yuki from the Virtua Fighter series - to the point it is one of the most widlely recognised techniques associated with Bajiquan. Tieshankao was said to have been used to break down doors and gates.

Appearances

• Blood Lad (Anime)
• Fate Stay Night (Anime)
• Library of Ruina (Video Game)
• Tekken (Video Game series)
• Virtua Fighter (Video Game series)
• Virtua Fighter (Anime)